At the beginning of 2020, we signed up for Crunchy Roll again after a brief stint with VRV (which is a whole post in and of itself). I randomly clicked on a cute, featured card for a show called “Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken” WOW! Eizouken is such a treat! A sweet story about three girls who become friends and merge their talents to make a shared dream come true.

The story is based on a manga by Sumito Ōwara and follows the stories of high school students Midori Asakusa, Tsubame Mizusaki and the Sayaka Kanamori. Midori Asakusa is the concept designer and idea generator – her wild imagination drives much of the story. Tsubame Mizusaki is a famous model and actress who dreams of being an animator. Sayaka Kanamori is THE producer of the show – her scheming and negotiation skills make the whole project work.

The opening credit sequence sets the stage for the show and made me immediately love it:

The animation style used is also a major departure from most modern shows. It is a mix of sketchy drawings with fanciful details – like a sketch book put in motion. Viewers need to pause in some episodes to read all the notes as they step into the minds of these girls.

I could gush all day about Eizouken so I will simplify and use the synopsis from Crunchy Roll:

First year high schooler Midori Asakusa loves anime so much, she insists that “concept is everything” in animation. Though she draws a variety of ideas in her sketchbook, she hasn’t taken the first step to creating anime, insisting that she can’t do it alone. The producer-type Sayaka Kanamori is the first to notice Asakusa’s genius. Then, when it becomes clear that their classmate, charismatic fashion model Tsubame Mizusaki, really wants to be an animator, they create an animation club to realize the “ultimate world” that exists in their minds.

from: https://www.crunchyroll.com/keep-your-hands-off-eizouken

I honestly think Crunchy Roll’s trailers are not the best at showing off the story or the animation so watch at least one episode.

Personally, I identify a little bit with all the girls but they each have their own, distinct personality. Kanamori is a great example. She is teased through the show by other kids – though we do get to hear her story and why she is driven to focus on cash. The play on her name makes sense in both Japanese and English. Kanamoney – Kaneokane. I’ve been very tempted to buy this Tshirt:

Get the goods from Based Imouto on Redbubble.

The sense of wonder, play and overcoming some tough obstacles is so great to see in anime. Highly recommend this show – it is a fun romp and inspiring for young and old artists alike. The show is totally worth binge watching on a weekend afternoon. It is a refreshing break from the misery of the news and social media these days.

The header image is a wall paper from NewGrounds.com